Burial casket stationery hardware bar securement

ABSTRACT

A casket is provided with a stationary hardware system for coupling bars to the sides of the casket such that no load is carried by decorative hardware when lifting the casket with the bars. Each system includes a block for attachment to the side of the casket and a clamp for embracing the bar. Camming surfaces on the block cooperate with surfaces on the clamp to tighten the grip of the clamp about the bar upon tightening a bolt and nut assembly that couples the clamp and block to the casket side.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The bars or handles on a burial casket in addition to serving adecorative purpose, are utilized during a burial service by pall bearersto lift the casket and transport it to the desired location eitherduring the pre-burial service or to the place of burial. In this regard,the casket, with the body of the deceased, may weigh several hundredpounds, so that the bars may prove necessary to assist the pall bearersin moving the casket. These bars normally are held by a series of armsor brackets connected to the sidewalls of the casket. Burial casket barsof this type are generally a straight tubular member which extends fromnear one end to near the other end of each side of the burial casket.The arms which constitute the hardware for the bar could either bestationery or swing bar hardware. Typical prior art swing bar hardwareis disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,204,286 and 4,615,085.

As an example, stationery hardware for bars have assumed the form shownin FIGS. 1 and 2 in which lugs and corners, with anywhere from two tofour sheet metal screws, attach each part to the casket. Normallyanywhere from 24 to 48 screws are deployed per casket for such hardware.Slots in the lugs and corners serve to support the bar. In this priorarrangement, the corners, lugs and sheet metal screws support and bearthe load.

Prior art hardware systems of the foregoing type have proven to be ofquestionable safety, utilize a large number of parts, labor intensiveand require relatively expensive and costly tooling. In such system,hardware in the form of lugs and corners form a supporting function aswell as provide the desired ornamental and aesthetic affects on theexterior of the casket.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A principle object of the present invention is to provide a stationeryhardware bar securement system that is safer, utilizes less parts andrequires less costly tooling while permitting the hardware providing thedecorative function to be interchangeable to satisfy customer needs anddesires.

These and other objects of the invention are achieved by utilizing a onebolt system to secure non decorative stationery bar hardware to caskets.In this system, the bars, hardware and the bolts are the major loadbearing components. Decorative pieces and decorative, non load bearinglugs on the corners, on the other hand, become ornamental parts thatcould simply be made to snap on and off so that other styles could beused interchangeably with the same hardware.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The objects and advantage of the present invention will become apparentfrom the following detailed description of the preferred embodimentwhich is to be taken in connection with the accompanying drawings inwhich like numerals designate like parts, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a casket utilizing a priorart stationery hardware bar system.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the supporting lug for thebar.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the bar supporting hardware ofthe present invention for a stationery bar.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the supporting hardware prior to thetightening of the bolt.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the supporting hardware assembled bytightening the bolt and connected to the sidewall of a casket shown inphantom with the outer decorative hardware also shown in phantom.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a casket with the supportinghardware in place and decorative hardware associated therewith and atthe casket corners covering the ends of the bars.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Referring initially to FIG. 3, the hardware providing the support andconnection for the bar to the casket sidewalls will include at least twohardware assemblies each having a mounting block 10 and a clamp 12 andbolt 14 with mating nut 16. The block 10 can be formed either of wood,plastic or metal and will include a relatively flat base 18 for restingagainst the sidewall 20 of the casket 22. From the base 18 extendsoutwardly two upstanding legs or arms 24 and 26 forming an interiorchannel 28 therebetween. As will become evident shortly the leg surfacesforming the channel 28, include camming faces 30 and 32 on therespective legs 24 and 26 which cooperate in tightening the strap 12about the bar 34. The block will also include a hole 36 to accommodatethe bolt 14.

The clamp is preferably formed of sheet metal but may be also formed ofa suitable plastic material and is provided with split ends 38 and 40having respective holes 42 and 44 for receiving bolt 14. The clamp isformed into a loop 46 in the general configuration of the bar or handle34. The interior face of the loop 46 may be provided with serration orother surface irregularities 48 to enhance the gripping action againstthe exterior of the bar 34 or may possess other surface configurationsthat mate with the external shape or configuration of the bar. The sizeand shape of the loop 46 is selected so that when the loop engages withthe cam surfaces 30 and 32, the bolt 14 the gripping action of the strapabout the handle will increase with the tightening of bolt 14.

In assembling the stationery bar supporting hardware system andcomponents to the casket sidewall 20 the following procedure may befollowed. At least two such systems are used for each bar placed alongthe exterior of the side 20 of the casket 22. The clamp 12 is moved intoposition within the block 10 and the bolt 14 is extended through holes42 and 44 in clamp ends 38 and 40, respectively, and then throughopening 36 in the block 10 and ultimately through the hole 50 in thesidewall 20 of the casket 22. The nut 16 is then applied to the free endof the bolt 14 located internally of the casket 22. At this juncture orprior to assembling the block and clamp to the casket sidewall 20, thebar 48 is placed within the loop 46 of the clamp 12. The configurationand dimensioning of the clamp relative to the channel 28 andparticularly the camming surfaces 30 and 32 are such that the more thebolt 14 is tightened by means of the nut 16, the firmer is the grip andengagement of the internal surfaces of the loop 46 of the clamp 12 aboutthe bar 34. As explained previously, this gripping action is enhanced byserration or other roughened surfaces 48 on the inner surfaces of theloop 46.

Thus, the bar hardware that holds the bar 34 stationery and supports itand assumes all of the support and load bearing afford when the bar isdeployed in lifting the casket has been disclosed.

In order to complete the outer decorative effects that normallyaccompanies the bar 34, decorative hardware or pieces may now be appliedto conceal or mask the supporting components, namely block 10 and clamp12 and also the corners of the casket 22 and the free ends of the bar34. This hardware, in as much as it no longer needs to be loadsupporting, may be made of relatively thin, less costly materials ofplastic or sheet metal that is suitably configured to provide thedesired ornamental and aesthetic effects. This ornamental hardwareassociated with the block 10 and clamp 1 may simply be clamped orclipped in place or be connected in any other conventional manner. Onesuggested system would be to have the decorative hardware piece 52couple or mate with spring arms 54 and 56 which extend from the block 10be in any suitable manner as by any suitable fastening needs, as well asthe use of a barb or clip 58 either extending integrally from theexterior of the clamp 12 or suitably coupled therewith by anyconventional fastening means. Similarly the corner decorative hardware60 be placed over the each end of the bar 34 and connected thereto or tothe sidewalls and endwalls of the casket 22 in any suitable manner.

Thus, the several aforenoted objects and advantages are most effectivelyattained. Although several somewhat preferred embodiment of theinvention has been disclosed and described in detail herein, it shouldbe understood that this invention is in no sense limited thereby and itsscope is to be determined by that of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A stationary bar hardware system for a casketcomprising in combination:a block for attachment to the side of acasket; a clamp having an opening for receiving a bar; coupling meansfor coupling upon actuation the clamp to the block and the block in turnto the side of a casket; and the clamp and block providing tighteningmeans defined by interranging surfaces of the clamp and block to tightenthe clamp above the bar upon actuation of the coupling means.
 2. Theinvention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the block, clamp andcoupling means cooperate in providing the complete support for the barwhich is accordingly able to bear the weight of the casket.
 3. Theinvention according to claim 1 wherein the block includes a base and twoopposed upstanding arms having camming surfaces defining a cavitytherebetween for receiving the clamp and the caming surfaces cooperatingin defining the tightening means.
 4. The invention according to claim 1wherein the clamp includes means for coupling with and supportingdecorative hardware.
 5. The invention according to claim 1 wherein theinterior surfaces of the clamp include protrusions for cooperating withsurfaces of the bar in securing the bar with the clamp.
 6. The inventionaccording to claim 1 wherein the clamp is provided with splitoverlapping ends.
 7. The invention according to claim 1 wherein theoverlapping ends of the clamp and the base of the block are providedwith aligned holes, and the coupling means includes a threaded boltextending through the aligned holes and adopted to extend through a holein the casket side wall and a nut threadedly received on the bolt.
 8. Acasket having a base, top, ends and opposed sides, a stationary bar oneach of the apposed sides, and at least two spaced stationary barhardware systems coupling each bar to the associated casket side, eachstationary bar hardware system comprising in combination:a block forattachment to the side of a casket; a clamp having an opening forreceiving a bar; coupling means for coupling upon actuation the clamp tothe block and the block in turn to the side of a casket; and the clampand block providing tightening means defined by interranging surfaces ofthe clamp and block to tighten the clamp above the bar upon actuation ofthe coupling means.
 9. The invention in accordance with claim 8 whereinthe block, clamp and coupling means cooperate in providing the completesupport for the bar which is accordingly able to bear the weight of thecasket.
 10. The invention according to claim 8 wherein the blockincludes a base and two opposed upstanding arms having camming surfacesdefining a cavity therebetween for receiving the clamp and the camingsurfaces cooperating in defining the tightening means.
 11. The inventionaccording to claim 8 wherein the clamp includes means for coupling withand supporting decorative hardware.
 12. The invention according to claim8 wherein the interior surfaces of the clamp include protrusions forcooperating with surfaces of the bar in securing the bar with the clamp.13. The invention according to claim 8 wherein the clamp is providedwith split overlapping ends.
 14. The invention according to claim 8wherein the overlapping ends of the clamp and the base of the block areprovided with aligned holes, and the coupling means includes a threadedbolt extending through the aligned holes and adopted to extend through ahole in the casket side wall and a nut threadedly received on the bolt.15. The invention in accordance with claim 8 wherein decorative hardwarefree from bearing any of the weight of the casket when the bars arelifted are associated with each stationary bars hardware system and ateach corner of the casket and extending over the associated end of thebar.